Locals Advance To Golf Regional
Manchester's Cain, Triton's Anderson qualify after playoff
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
That’s the name of the game in the postseason, and it’s exactly what Manchester’s Noah Cain and Triton’s Jordan Anderson did Friday on Rozella Ford’s par-70 course.
Playing in the high school boys golf sectional, the first leg of the 80th annual IHSAA state tournament, Cain and Anderson shot 18-hole scores of 76, then advanced to the regional as individuals after a playoff.
Plymouth’s Micha Calhoun shot 74 and advanced as an individual, leaving Cain, Anderson, Plymouth’s Hudson Yoder and Huntington North’s Nolan Betterly fighting for two remaining spots.
Cain advanced after just one playoff hole, while Anderson made a 25-foot putt for birdie on his third playoff hole.
“I can’t explain it, it was just so much fun,” Anderson said of the playoff, which was played on the par-4 No. 18. “I feel like this is what kids dream of when they grow up playing golf ... a bunch of people sitting around the last green, and making the last putt to advance.”
The top three teams, as well as the top three individuals not on an advancing team, will play in the 18-team regional Thursday at Stonehenge.
Warsaw, Wawasee, Whitko, Triton, Tippecanoe Valley and Manchester were among the 12 teams in sectional play at Rozella, but only Cain and Anderson advanced.
Warsaw, after advancing to the regional as a team every year since 1993, finished fifth with a 318, while Triton (322) was sixth, Wawasee (327) was eighth, Manchester (339) was ninth, Valley (349) was 10th and Whitko (373) 11th.
Columbia City shot a four-man score of 303 and won its third-straight sectional title and the program’s sixth overall.
Also advancing as teams were second-place Culver Academies (313) and third-place Northfield (314).
Plymouth was fourth at 317.
“This is unprecedented for Columbia City golf,” said Columbia City coach Andrew Thompson of his team’s three-peat. “(Until a couple years ago) we only had three since the 1960s, and we’ve had some good golf teams. We were fortunate enough to win again ... Culver Academy was on our tail all day, and probably led us, they played some great golf. We were fortunate in the end to get it done. Three in a row is impressive.”
Columbia City was led by individual medalist Cameron Slavich, who shot 72, and Spencer Klimek, whose 74 was good for second-place individually.
Other scores for the Eagles included Spencer McCammon’s 75, Nick Decker’s 82 and Tyler Green’s 83.
The host Tigers played well on the final nine holes, but, according to coach Ben Barkey, got off to a slow start.
“You can’t start off the sectional and play hole No. 1 as awful as we did,” said Barkey. “We didn’t play that hole well ... our best score was a par, but then we went double, double, quad, triple.
“The guys, for starting off that poor, to shoot what they did on the backside is a testament to these young guys. For three sophomores and two juniors to not hang it up and shoot one of the best back sides of the tournament is impressive. We almost got it done, but we let a few slip on the back.
“Northfield, we were paired with them, they deserve it. They played great. We weren’t paired with Columbia City or Culver Academy, but we all know Columbia City is good, and you just can’t give away shots like that.”
Warsaw, which shot 304 at Rozella Ford Wednesday in a 16-stroke win over NorthWood, made the turn at 162 Friday and shot 156 on the back.
Sam Yeager led the Tigers with a 77, while Michael Jensen shot 78, Luke Delp 81, Tommy Meier 82 and Tim Rata 84.
“What I’ve always used as a rule of thumb is you’re always plus or minus 10 (strokes) from you average,” said Barkey, who is stepping down after 14 seasons because he was recently named assistant principal at WCHS. “You just never know where it’s going to fall.
“Today, I think four out of the five guys were lower than their season average. It’s our third-lowest score (of the season). It’s disappointing we’re not moving on, but we are still playing better than what we started at the beginning of the season. As a coach, you want to see growth.”
To go with Anderson’s 76, Triton’s lineup included Beau Hepler’s 81, Isaac Wall’s 82, Braden Kreft’s 83 and Bryce Swihart’s 87.
Jeffrey Moore and Cal Heinisch shot 78 and 79, respectively, to lead Wawasee.
Jeremy Julian led Valley with a 77.
Grady Clingerman paced Whitko with a 90.
WARSAW SECTIONAL
(Rozella Ford, par-70)
Note – top three teams, as well as top three individuals not on an advancing team, qualify for the regional.
Team Scores – Columbia City 303, Culver Academies 313, Northfield 314, Plymouth 317, Warsaw 318, Triton 322, Huntington North 324, Wawasee 327, Manchester 339, Tippecanoe Valley 349, Whitko 373, Culver Community 387
Top 3 individuals – Cameron Slavich (CC) 72, Spencer Klimek (CC) 74, Micha Calhoun (Ply) 74
Advancing Individuals – Micha Calhoun (Ply) 74, Noah Cain (Man) 76, Jordan Anderson (Tri) 76
Warsaw – Sam Yeager 77, Michael Jensen 78, Luke Delp 81, Tommy Meier 82, Tim Rata 84
Triton – Jordan Anderson 76, Beau Hepler 81, Isaac Wall 82, Braden Kreft 83, Bryce Swihart 87
Manchester – Noah Cain 76, Parker Wagner 84, Nathan Self 85, Brandon Wilcox 94, Logan Parrett 102
Wawasee – Jeffrey Moore 78, Cal Heinisch 79, Kyle Weideman 84, Cameron Adams 86, Jayce Boatwright 86
T. Valley – Jeremy Julian 77, Trevor Neeley 81, Cole Cumberland 89, Chandler Newsome 102, John Young 102
Whitko – Grady Clingerman 90, Kaleb Busz 92, Tim Gensch 95, Nic Rose 96, Cade Bechtold 97[[In-content Ad]]
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That’s the name of the game in the postseason, and it’s exactly what Manchester’s Noah Cain and Triton’s Jordan Anderson did Friday on Rozella Ford’s par-70 course.
Playing in the high school boys golf sectional, the first leg of the 80th annual IHSAA state tournament, Cain and Anderson shot 18-hole scores of 76, then advanced to the regional as individuals after a playoff.
Plymouth’s Micha Calhoun shot 74 and advanced as an individual, leaving Cain, Anderson, Plymouth’s Hudson Yoder and Huntington North’s Nolan Betterly fighting for two remaining spots.
Cain advanced after just one playoff hole, while Anderson made a 25-foot putt for birdie on his third playoff hole.
“I can’t explain it, it was just so much fun,” Anderson said of the playoff, which was played on the par-4 No. 18. “I feel like this is what kids dream of when they grow up playing golf ... a bunch of people sitting around the last green, and making the last putt to advance.”
The top three teams, as well as the top three individuals not on an advancing team, will play in the 18-team regional Thursday at Stonehenge.
Warsaw, Wawasee, Whitko, Triton, Tippecanoe Valley and Manchester were among the 12 teams in sectional play at Rozella, but only Cain and Anderson advanced.
Warsaw, after advancing to the regional as a team every year since 1993, finished fifth with a 318, while Triton (322) was sixth, Wawasee (327) was eighth, Manchester (339) was ninth, Valley (349) was 10th and Whitko (373) 11th.
Columbia City shot a four-man score of 303 and won its third-straight sectional title and the program’s sixth overall.
Also advancing as teams were second-place Culver Academies (313) and third-place Northfield (314).
Plymouth was fourth at 317.
“This is unprecedented for Columbia City golf,” said Columbia City coach Andrew Thompson of his team’s three-peat. “(Until a couple years ago) we only had three since the 1960s, and we’ve had some good golf teams. We were fortunate enough to win again ... Culver Academy was on our tail all day, and probably led us, they played some great golf. We were fortunate in the end to get it done. Three in a row is impressive.”
Columbia City was led by individual medalist Cameron Slavich, who shot 72, and Spencer Klimek, whose 74 was good for second-place individually.
Other scores for the Eagles included Spencer McCammon’s 75, Nick Decker’s 82 and Tyler Green’s 83.
The host Tigers played well on the final nine holes, but, according to coach Ben Barkey, got off to a slow start.
“You can’t start off the sectional and play hole No. 1 as awful as we did,” said Barkey. “We didn’t play that hole well ... our best score was a par, but then we went double, double, quad, triple.
“The guys, for starting off that poor, to shoot what they did on the backside is a testament to these young guys. For three sophomores and two juniors to not hang it up and shoot one of the best back sides of the tournament is impressive. We almost got it done, but we let a few slip on the back.
“Northfield, we were paired with them, they deserve it. They played great. We weren’t paired with Columbia City or Culver Academy, but we all know Columbia City is good, and you just can’t give away shots like that.”
Warsaw, which shot 304 at Rozella Ford Wednesday in a 16-stroke win over NorthWood, made the turn at 162 Friday and shot 156 on the back.
Sam Yeager led the Tigers with a 77, while Michael Jensen shot 78, Luke Delp 81, Tommy Meier 82 and Tim Rata 84.
“What I’ve always used as a rule of thumb is you’re always plus or minus 10 (strokes) from you average,” said Barkey, who is stepping down after 14 seasons because he was recently named assistant principal at WCHS. “You just never know where it’s going to fall.
“Today, I think four out of the five guys were lower than their season average. It’s our third-lowest score (of the season). It’s disappointing we’re not moving on, but we are still playing better than what we started at the beginning of the season. As a coach, you want to see growth.”
To go with Anderson’s 76, Triton’s lineup included Beau Hepler’s 81, Isaac Wall’s 82, Braden Kreft’s 83 and Bryce Swihart’s 87.
Jeffrey Moore and Cal Heinisch shot 78 and 79, respectively, to lead Wawasee.
Jeremy Julian led Valley with a 77.
Grady Clingerman paced Whitko with a 90.
WARSAW SECTIONAL
(Rozella Ford, par-70)
Note – top three teams, as well as top three individuals not on an advancing team, qualify for the regional.
Team Scores – Columbia City 303, Culver Academies 313, Northfield 314, Plymouth 317, Warsaw 318, Triton 322, Huntington North 324, Wawasee 327, Manchester 339, Tippecanoe Valley 349, Whitko 373, Culver Community 387
Top 3 individuals – Cameron Slavich (CC) 72, Spencer Klimek (CC) 74, Micha Calhoun (Ply) 74
Advancing Individuals – Micha Calhoun (Ply) 74, Noah Cain (Man) 76, Jordan Anderson (Tri) 76
Warsaw – Sam Yeager 77, Michael Jensen 78, Luke Delp 81, Tommy Meier 82, Tim Rata 84
Triton – Jordan Anderson 76, Beau Hepler 81, Isaac Wall 82, Braden Kreft 83, Bryce Swihart 87
Manchester – Noah Cain 76, Parker Wagner 84, Nathan Self 85, Brandon Wilcox 94, Logan Parrett 102
Wawasee – Jeffrey Moore 78, Cal Heinisch 79, Kyle Weideman 84, Cameron Adams 86, Jayce Boatwright 86
T. Valley – Jeremy Julian 77, Trevor Neeley 81, Cole Cumberland 89, Chandler Newsome 102, John Young 102
Whitko – Grady Clingerman 90, Kaleb Busz 92, Tim Gensch 95, Nic Rose 96, Cade Bechtold 97[[In-content Ad]]
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